The auditorium they had us do our written exam in was huge! Though given the amount of UA hopefuls applying, it makes sense. And that’s only counting the ones applying for the heroics course!

The exam was difficult, but not too hard. Midoriya gave me some study guides for every subject a while back which really helped with it. So with my written exam most likely passed, and my skills in hero/vigilante/villain work, I’m basically assured to get accepted.

The physical exam is today, so they’ve gathered everyone into a theater where they’re going to explain it. On the stage is a skinny guy who’s yellow hair curves back and upwards into spikes. I wonder if he’s ever poked someone’s eye out with it?

Nearby, I can hear Midoriya muttering about who the guy is. “Present mic. Quirk: Voice. Lets him increase the volume of his voice to nearly physical levels.” I ignore the rest as he goes into his fanboy mode. Though he’s been getting better at keeping it from getting excessive.

Makes sense that they would have someone loud explaining everything. Though they probably could have just given someone else a microphone. I wonder if UA is just trying to save some Yen?

“Hello UA candidates! Let's hear some noise!” He puts a hand over his ear, but doesn’t get the response he wanted.

*Silence*

Unfettered, he continues. “Keeping it mellow, that’s fine. But keep your ears open to hear what you need to do! ARE YOU READY!?” This time a quiet ‘yeah’ goes through the crowd, and his smile widens.

He goes on to explain how it works. Apparently there are seven ‘battle centers’ where we’ll be conducting mock battles against robots. There are three types of robots, each worth different points, though they only go up to three.

So I can either go for quantity ,focusing on the one point robots, or go for quality with my main focus being on the three points. I won’t ignore the two pointers of course, but I have to think about what would impress the people watching the most.

I listen as he tells us not to attack the other applicants, and I can’t help but snort. No duh. This is a hero school. Of course you shouldn’t be attacking the other applicants! After all, on the streets heroes who attack each other go for the kill when they go after a rival.

Admittedly it doesn’t happen often, but I have come across some of the attacks. When I do, if I don’t care about the hero being attacked, I’ll flip a coin on whether or not I’ll interfere. If I get involved, I’ll kill the attacker. If not, I’ll put them on my litter list to deal with later. If the people getting attacked didn’t throw a fit when I save them, I’d probably get involved every time.

Seriously, quit complaining! They were trying to kill you! Get on your knees and thank me for saving you! Ungrateful assholes. They aren’t all like that of course, but I have a limit to the amount of stupidity I can deal with in a week.

Suddenly, a guy with dark blue hair and glasses stands with his hand raised. Apparently he has an issue with the handouts we were given, with four enemies being listed instead of the three the hero told us about. Is he seriously trying to badmouth the most famous school in the world? You’ve got to admire the nerve on this guy, at least.

Then he turns around and points at… Midoriya? “You with the unkempt hair. You’ve been muttering the entire time. If you can’t be bothered to take this seriously, then leave. You’re distracting the rest of us.”

I can’t help but chuckles that escape at his shocked look. Someone got in trouble~. Ooh, but Mister Serious should have definitely rephrased part of that…

When Midoriya hears that the guy doesn’t think he’s taking the exam seriously, his expression firms up and he glares at the surprised applicant. “I’ve never been more serious than I am about this exam.”

The glasses guy is taken aback. zhuh. The guy next to Midoriya is looking at him in surprise too. Isn’t he the angry guy from outside? The glasses guy looks like he’s going to say something, but Present Mic beats him to it.

“I LOVE THAT ENTHUSIASM!!” I hold back a wince at how loud he is. Enhanced senses aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be.

“The fourth type of enemy is worth zero points. It’s just an obstacle we’ll be tossing your way. Lucky for all of you, there’s only one in every battle center.” He smirks. “It’s not that it can’t be beaten, but there’s not really a point.”

Having recovered from the look in Midoriya’s eyes, the guy who asked the question thanks him with a bow and sits down.

“As General Napoleon Bonaparte once laid down; ‘A true hero is one who overcomes life’s misfortunes’. Mhm. That's a tasty sound bite.” Did he say that? I thought quirks appeared after his time? Or was it metaphorical? Nya, whatever.

He gets a weird look on his face and a shiver goes up my tail. “Are you ready to go beyond? Let’s hear a PLUS ULTRA!”

This time everyone gives him what he wants, and I cover my ears, wincing at the noise. Maybe I should start wearing earplugs…

Now we’re standing outside a massive gate that leads into a fricken city! What the nya! If UA has enough money to build a godsdamned city, then why are there still homeless people in Japan! They could just let them sleep here when they aren’t using it! And there are seven of the things!? What in the ninth nya is up with this!?

I shake my head to clear my head of my incredulous thoughts. Instead, I look around at the other applicants. There’s about fifty people in our group, and I see a couple people of note. Midoriya and Squishy cheeks are in this group, and there’s also a guy with literal sparkles coming off of him.

I wonder if he’s related to the ephemeral girl I saw at the gate. They both sparkle after all. Oh, glasses is here too.

The last person I make note of with a curled lip. He’s short. Like, kindergarten short. His hair is made up of purple balls that I think are part of his quirk. He’s also drooling while staring at a girl’s ass. If he wasn’t drooling, it could probably be waved off since his head only reaches that height. But with the drooling?

I’m going to punch him after the exam.

Seeing as we’re already waiting outside of the gate, I summon my cats. Five brawlers and six mages. I smile at the extra mage, proud of managing to up my capacity. Of course, my display of skills doesn’t go unnoticed. But before anyone can interact with me, we all hear a shout coming from above.

“Start! There are no countdowns in real life! You’re wasting air time here!” The group rushes forward, leaving behind only two people. Midoriya, and me. Of course, I’ve already sent my cats forward with their instructions so I’m fine.

He looks at me in panic, so I give him a thumbs up, grinning at the gloves he’s wearing. “Show them your determination, Izuku.” He blushes at my use of his first name, but gets a determined look on his face and rushes after everyone. I walk behind leisurely, wondering if the big present I sent to Paul has gotten there yet.

𝌡𝌡𝌡

Paul is sitting on the couch, having gotten the day off from his boss to ‘support his daughter in her exam’. He snorts at the thought. He never wanted kids. The only reason he even agreed to the adoption was because Pearl insisted.

He takes a drink from the can of beer in his hand.

Sure, he didn’t want the kid, but he still made an effort to raise her, to be at least some kind of father figure. But as she grew up, things started to change.

Pearl started insisting that she wanted another kid, one that is truly her own. But he rejected it. They already have one kid, why would they need another?

So whenever he came to bed, she rejected him. Sure, whenever she needed some relief he was ready, but for him? The cold shoulder.

It was around this time that Catia had started developing. He knew it was wrong, but with how things were going with Pearl, was it really his fault that his eyes started to wander? Sure, they might have wandered too close to home, but he’s only thirty-two!

Way back before people had cars and shit, it wasn’t that rare for people to get married to someone twice their age for politics and shit. So what’s wrong with it now?

He didn’t try anything though. Well, nothing that couldn’t be waved off as an accident. And before he got too pent up he caught that new secretary in one of the rarely used meeting rooms. He was just looking for a place to nap, but seeing what she was into, how could he resist?

They started seeing each other, not as a couple, but just friends with benefits. Well, co-workers with benefits. Things were looking up for him, at least until he forgot to take his lunch and Pearl brought it.

Now he’s stuck in a house with someone who hates him. He doesn’t really care about that, but even when Pearl wasn’t doing it with him, he still had the comfort of someone else in bed with him.

So he started drinking.

With the drinking, he started losing inhibitions.

His eyes wandered back to home.

He-

He’s pulled from his thoughts by someone ringing the doorbell. He scowls. Since when do I have people visiting? He stumbles to his feet, unsteadily making his way to the door.

He never mentioned it to anyone before, but his third eye isn’t just for show. When his normal two eyes are closed, it lets him see through solid objects, as long as they’re more than an inch thick. So no seeing through clothes for him.

Using it now, he sees a large man covered in a dark cloth wrapped around his body, his face obscured. Frowning, he yanks the door open, his voice slurred. “The hell you wan’, jackass?”

The stranger lifts his head, a clear blue marble where his left eye used to be, the scar stretching to the top of his head. Paul looks at him in shock as his smile stretches the three scars on his right side.

“I heard that a little cat lives here. I was hoping to finish what I started.” Muscular laughs as he pushes Paul inside, unaware that the one he’s looking for is nowhere close.